title: Effect of a single dose of pregabalin on post-operative pain and pre-operative anxiety in patients undergoing discectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pregabalin acts as a membrane stabilizer and has both analgesic and anxiolytic effects. We hypothesized that one pre-operative dose of pregabalin would reduce pre-operative anxiety and post-operative pain in patients undergoing discectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a randomized, placebo-controlled study of 150 mg pregabalin administered before lumbar discectomy in general anaesthesia. The primary endpoint was pain at rest [visual analogue scale (VAS)] 120 min after surgery. The secondary outcomes were morphine consumption, pre-operative anxiety (VAS) and the occurrence of side effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The VAS scores for pain at rest and morphine consumption were higher in the placebo group during the 4-h stay in the post-anaesthetic care unit (PACU), but did not differ significantly 24 h after surgery. Pain scores at 7 days were similar and there was no difference in the occurrence of side effects. Pre-operative anxiety was significantly lower in the pregabalin group (2.23±1.11 vs. 4.17±2.37, 95% confidence interval: 0.82-3.05, P=0.001) and there was a significant positive correlation between the pre-operative anxiety score and post-operative pain at 120 min in the pregabalin group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A single dose of pregabalin (150 mg) reduced post-operative pain at rest and morphine consumption during the PACU period after lumbar discectomy. Pre-operative anxiety was lower, without increased incidence of side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Baerum Hospital, Rud, Norway. ulispreng@hotmail.com
authors.forename: U J
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Spreng
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dahl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raeder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017586:Diskectomy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D000069583:Pregabalin; D057234:Preoperative Period; D018401:Sample Size; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D009020:Morphine